Family Tree
by TheAnaGrace
Summary: A series of one shots about Jackson and April and their kids, Hannah and Noah Avery.
1. mother's day

**April celebrating mother's day with her family and Jackson giving her a gift from Samuel.**

It's an unusual sunny day in Seattle. The sky is clean and the clouds are painted in a pleasant shade of baby blue. Sitting on the bench, April watches the kids run freely in the playground. It's Sunday and the park is full of happy little families. Happy little families? Yes, and hers is one of them.

Jackson is with the kids, by the swings. Hannah loves them. She loves the park in general, but the swings are her favorite part. Hannah Rose Avery was born in a stormy December night. Named after one of April's favorite women in the bible, she's also a Christmas baby. Well, almost. She was born on the 26th at exactly 01h31 AM, with a head full of brown hair and big, expressive grey eyes. The _grey_ turned into green eventually, just like her daddy's. It was surely a Christmas party to remember!

"Higher, daddy. Higher!" The four year old screams at the top of her lungs every time Jackson gives the swing another soft push. He pretends to apply a little bit more strength to the push, but she knows he won't. Somehow, after what happened with Samuel, they've been unknowingly more careful with the kids, always looking after them like two precious jewels.

Kids? Yes, because their baby boy is on Jackson's hip, glued like a rock. Noah Alexander Avery is almost two. And unlike Hannah, who came as a surprise after April decided to stay and fight for her marriage, Noah was wanted. They decided to have another baby when their girl was old enough. Getting pregnant wasn't hard and once they tried a couple times, the news came in the sound of a sweet relief. Thus his name: _Noah_ means "rest, comfort" and after he was born, healthy and strong, April knew she was finally in peace.

Looking at the scene and realizing how perfect her little family is, makes it hard to think about life before it all. It's hard to wonder how it could've gone, what could've happened if she decided to take off once again and get on that plane to Jordan. Fact was, those were the darkest times and her marriage was crumbling, being torn apart. But she couldn't let the love of her life go to waste. So, she stayed, she fought, she decided to be brave for herself and for Samuel's memory.

Hannah and Noah were true blessings. It's like life before her children didn't exist at all, it was meaningless, empty. Jackson and the kids were the only reason she ever had to keep going, to hold on to her marriage when things were tough, and to fill that empty space in heart with love and joy. The healing was complete, and she understood now God's plan for her life. Her heart was in pieces then, but it's now complete. The missing pieces were found and put back together, glued one by one, and she can now see the light.

It's mother's day. A day she's been celebrating ever since Hannah was born. The first year, Jackson gave her a rose, and a card with both her little girl's hands painted in pink, with a cute "I love you, mommy" message written in big, full red letters. Such a simple gesture that meant so much. She felt like a mom, at last.

From the bench, she sees Jackson stop the swing and kneel down in front of Hannah. Her curly hair is all over her sweet little face, but her eyes sparkle in that moment. He whispers something in her ear, and she nods, determined. Noah simply holds on to the giraffe grandma Karen gave him when he was born, completely oblivious to what is happening. Poor little guy! He loves daddy so much he doesn't want to let him go, even though he's taller than most boys his age, and could perfectly walk now.

Hannah gets off the swing and looks at her mommy, with a smile. April smiles back and spots Jackson taking off something from inside his jacket pocket and handing it to the girl.

She starts walking towards April, holding a box in her hands, skipping down along the grass. With a smile that could light up the entire town, she stops when she reaches her mom. "Hey, baby. What's that?" April asks, as Hannah extends her arms and bounces back and forth, shy.

"It's for you, mommy."

Jackson follows her, sitting on the bench next to his wife and keeping Noah on his lap. "Happy mother's day!" He says, nodding at his daughter, reassuring her it is time to give April her present.

She takes the box in her hands, not completely surprised, because he's not that great when it comes to keeping secrets. "Thank you, honey. Can you give me a kiss?" She says, lowering down to plant a soft kiss on her girl's forehead. Hannah giggles, waiting impatiently to see her mother open the box, revealing what's inside. "Let's see what we've got here…" April goes one, glancing over at her husband while opening it.

"Do you like it?" Hannah asks, moving to her mother's side and placing both hands on her leg to take a better peek. It's a simple white golden bracelet, with three little pendants. A ladybug, a giraffe, and a heart. "Daddy said I could choose it."

"Did you, honey? Mommy loves it!" She replies, noticing Jackson's grin when he sees that she truly liked the surprise. Taking the bracelet out of the box, she holds it in the air in front of her eyes, supporting the beautiful pendants with the palm of her hand. "Is this yours?" April says, mentioning the ladybug. The little girl nods, proudly. Ladybugs are her things now and it doesn't help that April has been calling her daughter _ladybug_ ever since she was a baby. It's a cute little pet name that goes with her personality so well.

"It's for good luck!" Hannah retorts, tilting her head to the side and resting her chin on her hand. "Daddy said ladybugs bring good luck."

April smiles, mumbling a silent "Thank you" at Jackson. Then, moving her attention to her boy, she knows Hannah must've chosen the giraffe for obvious reason. It's Noah's favorite teddy bear. Placing a kiss on top of his curls, she notices she last pendant left. A heart. "Is this yours?" She asks Jackson, thinking the heart could only represent him.

Jackson doesn't reply right away. He licks his lips, opens his mouth and lets out a loud breath. "No." He finally says, for a moment regretting his decision. "It's Samuel's."

She gasps, and the smile disappears from her face when her eyes move back to the little pendant. Her own heart closes and she feels a sudden, sharp pain, like a bandage being ripped unexpectedly. Images of her son cross her mind, so tiny, wrapped in a blanket in her arms. She remembers his last breath, and the memory makes her want to cry. Tears quickly fill her eyes, but she fights them when Hannah senses her mother change.

"Mama? You didn't like it?"

April pouts, trying to keep her trembling lips from shaking even more. Looking down at her daughter, she puts the box to the side and quickly reaches for her. Hugging her, having Hannah in her arms makes her forget the most important loss of her life. Hannah's voice, her beating heart, and the smell of her curls remind herself to be thankful for what she has. God is good after all and she's so lucky she has them. "Thank you, baby. I love it!"

The love for her children was a different kind of love. One she has only felt once when Samuel was put in her arms before he took his last breath. A love that could only grow deeper and stronger. Her children are her true, precious love, sent from above to give some sort of new found meaning to her life. A love so deep, it was hard to understand how she spent all of her life without it. Samuel wasn't here anymore, but he was here first. And even though she only felt like a mother now, she was a mother before. To him. For him.

And today, it was the perfect mother's day.

..

 _Requested by anon_


	2. Noah's shoes

_**Jackson and April fight over a very expensive purchase for Noah and later they're performing a surgery together and Jackson brings it up.**_

"Jackson! 114.99$ for a pair of shoes? For Noah? What made you think it was okay to buy a 144.99$ pair of shoes?" She puts her hands under the water to start scrubbing in, giving her husband a threatening look when he told her he just bought their two year old a pair of very, very expensive shoes.

"They're comfortable, provide stability, are great for circulation and…" He tries to defend himself, putting on a surgical mask and tying the strings on the back of his head. Truth was, he liked the shoes and Noah loved them too. So, he got a pair for himself and another for his son. He always had a soft spot for shoes, and matching sneakers with his little boy wasn't such a big deal. April wasn't too happy about it, though. Sure, a hundred bucks for Noah's tiny feet was a bit ridiculous, and he was sure they would stop fitting in a couple months, but… well. "They're Jordans!"

"They could be Dior for all I care!" She snaps, brushing all the way up her forearms. "He's two, Jackson."

"He does look cute!"

She gives him one of those looks he knows by now he's not supposed to mess with. Even after all these years being married to him, she still takes care of her money like before, always careful when it comes to her spending it recklessly. It's in her nature and there's nothing he can do about it.

Rushing to get inside the OR, she leaves him behind to scrub in alone when she's done.

.

"Is everything alright?" Catherine Avery speaks, watching over the table at the pair. April doesn't move her eyes, but Jackson nods. The three of them are having surgery together. Some guy who cut his penis in an accident is lying on the table, and after 2 hours in almost complete silence, enough is enough. "Okay! What's wrong?"

"Nothing." They both reply at the same time, locking their eyes for the first time, but immediately lowering them down.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Huh, huh…"

"Alright." She goes on, pretending to believe it. "Oh, by the way, I was thinking we could spend Christmas in New York. The family all together. You know, do something different. The kids would have a nice time… it's also Hannah's birthday."

"She's four. I think she only wants a birthday party with her friends. She won't care about New York, mom." Jackson retorts, making April roll her eyes and let out a loud 'Oh okay!'. He looks up, pauses and asks. "What?"

"Like you said, she's four."

"Yes, and?"

"He's two, Jackson. Two!"

"Who, Noah? Are you still mad about the shoes?"

"It's about the importance of money, how to use it and spent it properly. The kids need to learn these things…"

"He's two, April! Like you said, he's two. He doesn't have any notion about the importance of money. He can barely use the potty!"

"Exactly my point! He can barely pee on his own. Why does he need a hundred dollar shoes?"

"What's going on?" Catherine asks, noticing the tension and April's deadly stare.

"April's mad at me because I spent a hundred dollars on a pair of shoes for Noah and she's-"

"You know that I'm doing a penile surgery and I have a scalpel in my hand." She cuts him off, with her fatal eyes and threatening tone. "You don't want to go there."

Fighting in public wasn't their thing.

And he was definitely not going _there_.

..

 _Requested by_ _safooa_


	3. Noah's girlfriend

_**Noah licks his little girlfriend's neck because he saw daddy doing it to mommy, but he gets slapped by her.**_

"Wait… he kissed her neck?"

"Licked it." April corrects her husband. "Miss Green told me Rebecca slapped him then." Miss Green is Noah's kindergarten teacher and Rebecca is his five year old 'girlfriend'. It was all innocent and sweet, like most romances between two five year olds are. Nothing to worry about, well… at least until now. Today, when April got there to pick up her son, Miss Green told her he had an _episode_. Apparently, he tried to kiss his girlfriend for the first time, _really_ kiss her. No! Not exactly kiss her, but _lick_ her. It's dinner time now and luckily Hannah is having a pajama party with one of her friends. Sitting around the kitchen table, April figured it was the best time to bring it up.

"Buddy?" Jackson asks, putting his fork down and moving his attention to his son. "Why did you lick Rebecca?"

"Because she's my girlfriend."

"She slapped you?"

"Yeah." He replies, with a defeated tone, placing one elbow on the table and resting his head on the palm of his hand. "She didn't like it."

"Because you can't go around licking people like a cat, Noah." April retorts, watching as her son moves the peas on his plate with his fork, uninterestedly.

"I only did it because she's my girlfriend. But she's not anymore."

"She broke up with you?" Jackson asks, and Noah nods. He smiles, entertained with the idea of his five year old breaking up with his first girlfriend. "Why did you lick her?"

Noah pauses, puts the fork down and lazily sits straight on the chair, dropping his arms on the sides of his body, hands on his lap. Looking up at his father, he lets out a deep breath and shrugs. "Because I saw you do that to mommy and I just wanted to make her laugh, like you made mom laugh."

April drops her jaw on the floor and, surprised with his reply, she freezes. "Noah, how- when did you…" She can't even form words. Did their son take a peek when they were making out?

"Then I told Miss Green I saw you and daddy playing, like we were, but mommy didn't slap you, daddy. Mommy liked it when you licked her neck, but Rebecca didn't."

"Buddy, when did you see me kissing mommy's neck?"

"The other night, on the couch." Noah confesses. "You were playing and mommy was laughing and you were kissing her with your tongue, so I went back to my room." Must have been the night they put the kids to sleep and thought they were all alone watching a movie on TV, on the living room. Thank God he only saw the beginning of what happened.

"So you tried to kiss her with your tongue?"

"Yes, but she said it was weird. So, she slapped me and I stopped." Noah crosses his arms against his chest, looks down at the food in front of him, kicking his feet back and forth, rocking on the chair.

April moves her eyes to Jackson and their astonished stares meet halfway across the table. Their son just discovered what French kissing is without even knowing what it means, and his first experience was anything but great. He is too young anyway to be French kissing or kissing at all. "You shouldn't be kissing your girlfriend like that."

"But why?" The boy asks, seemingly mad with the way his girlfriend slapped him when he was only trying to do something nice for her.

"Because boys and girls only kiss that way when they're like… twenty." She's making stuff up along the way, knowing very well this is not how it goes. Maybe she's panicking and struggling to explain him what kissing really means. Trying to avoid the subject for a few more years won't hurt, and he'll eventually find out on his own, like we all do. But, for now, Noah is still her baby.

"But I like Rebecca, mommy. I didn't want to make her mad. I wanted to make her laugh."

"Hey Noah!" Jackson speaks, grabbing the boy's attention and saving his wife from this uncomfortable conversation. "Why don't you make her a nice card saying sorry? She'll like that."

"You think?"

"I do. Mom can help you with that."

"Great!" The boy's expression lights up, making the shade of green in his eyes sparkle. Immediately standing up from his chair, ready to start the new project and grab some crayons, he turns on his feet. Then, he pauses, leads one hand to is neck and scratches the curls on the back of his head. "Mommy, can you help me write 'I love you, Rebecca'?"

" _I love you_?" April asks, dragging the words, already regretting Jackson's idea. I love you meant so much more than kissing. How is a five year old supposed to know and understand what it means or even why he'd like to say it. "Noah, where did you learn that?"

"I heard daddy saying that to you the other morning before he left to work. You said it back and smiled. I want to make Rebecca smile." Noah replies, shrugging his shoulders. Then, without taking another second, he runs across the kitchen, disappearing before their eyes.

"First _licking_ , now _I love you_?" She turns to Jackson dropping her face on her hands.

"You realize this is only the beginning, right? And we might have to talk to him again, because he needs to know he doesn't have to wait fifteen years to kiss a girl properly." Jackson retorts, finding his son's smooth moves completely adorable. "Plus, he's gonna be a teenager one day."

"Oh no! Don't remind me."

..

 _Requested by and taken from a personal experience from ilmiooceanomare_


	4. Hannah's eyes

_**April & Hannah and their beautiful eyes.**_

Bath time before dinner is Hannah's favorite time of the day. She loves being in the water, always playing with her toys until it starts getting cold. It's always been like this, and even when she was younger, it was hard getting her out of the tub without a tantrum. Like a true little mermaid, she also loves taking swimming lessons and water seems to be definitely her element. If only they lived in a place where they could have a big backyard with a pool, and she'd be the happiest kid on earth.

"Close your eyes, please?" April asks. The four year old does so, tilting her head back and allowing her mother to take the shampoo off her hair with running water. Hannah's hair is curly, but soft. It's a nice mix of her own genes and Jackson's African American roots. It needs care and attention and a lot of struggle sometimes to get rid of the knots that tangle her locks. Hannah hates it, combing her hair is the worst part.

Once April's done, Hannah quickly runs her hands over her face to remove the remaining water. Opening them, she flashes her big, expressive eyes, but a small cute little wrinkle appears on her forehead. Knitting her brows, she seems to think for a moment before speaking. "Mama?" She starts. "Why don't I look like you?"

April looks over at the toddler, reaching for the coconut oil bottle to spray on her hair. The question takes her by surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Olivia looks like her mommy. She has blonde hair and blue eyes." Hannah goes on, talking about her best friend from school. "But I don't have red hair like you."

She can see the sadness behind her child's stare and it makes her feel terribly bad. Sure, both Hannah and even little Noah take over their father, but they're hers just as much. Plus, there were small traits in both their personalities that reminded April so much of herself, especially Hannah's smile. Her smile, innocent and sweet, could easily bright up a whole entire room.

Yes, looking at them side by side it wasn't easy to see their similarities, but they looked alike somehow. Hannah just needed to see it and believe it. "No, you don't have red hair like me. Your hair is curly, like daddy and grandma Catherine's." April replies, putting the oil bottle back down. Then, finding a position on her knees, on the floor by the tub, she rests her hands on her lap. "What color are your eyes?"

"Green, like daddy's." Hannah quickly retorts.

"Really? Come here." She says, and the toddler moves on the water, closer to the side of the tub. April leans forward, facing Hannah. The girl raises both her wet, tiny hands and rests them on each side of April's face. "What color are my eyes?

"Brown?"

"Look closely." April shakes her head. "Do you see it?"

"Yeah…" Hannah squeezes her eyes, making a bigger effort to see what her mother wants her to see. Tilting her head to the side and sticking her tongue in between her teeth, she finally knows what her mother means. Then, a bright, white smile appears on her face and her expression lights up.

April's eyes aren't brown like most people believe they are. On a first look, yes, the might appear to be brown, maybe even hazel. But no! They're not, and Hannah realizes that now. "So, what color are your eyes, baby?"

"Green! Green, like mommy's." Hannah says, almost jumping with excitement. Her hair might not be red or straight, it might even be wilder, and her skin tone might not be pale at all, but her eyes… Her eyes are green, like her mommy's. And little does she know, they are the window to her soul.

..

 _Requested by_ _97chrissy_ _( you asked for a prompt with japril + kids' morning/night routine and I think bath time fits the night routine!)_


	5. Noah & Alex

_**Noah finds Alex Karev at the Hospital.**_

"Hi, uncle Alex!" The five year old pops out from behind the nurse's station when Alex Karev passes by to drop his tablet.

"Hey, Noah. What are you doing here?"

The boy smiles, and shrugs. "Mama told me to wait for her. So… I'm waiting." Just when April picked him up from daycare, there was an emergency and she was called. It wouldn't take long and she asked to be replaced as soon as possible. So, leaving Noah there for a few minutes wouldn't hurt. Plus, he was used to the space by now and some bored, very impatient intern was in charge of looking after him.

"Where's your dad?

"He's…" Noah tilts his head to the side, raises one hand to scratch the back of his head, digging his small fingers into his curly hair. He knew daddy was a doctor and healed people for a living, but to put it into words was harder. So, he just says what comes to mind. "… He's at work."

"Oh, okay."

"He's a surgeon, you know."

"Really?" Alex makes a funny, almost surprised face to entertain the boy's proud expression.

"Huh, huh." Noah nods, keeping his big blue eyes on the man in front of him. Reaching for the red crayon on the desk, he also picks a piece of paper to show it to him. "Mama told me to stay quiet. I'm trying to draw her, but I think she's too pretty, so I can't really do it."

"Looks good to me." Karev retorts, attentively looking at the drawing of a little woman painted completely in red, with a big round face, a pair of circular eyes, two arms sticking from her disproportional torso, and a skirt that covered half her legs.

"Do you think my mama's pretty?"

Alex glances over at the boy and his hopeful eyes. Of course little boys his age think their mothers are the most sublime creatures on Earth. "Hmm, yeah. She's pretty, I guess."

"My daddy says she's beautiful."

"I bet he does."

Placing the drawing back on the desk, Noah sits on his knees on the chair. Biting his tongue, he seems to try and understand what's missing. Because yes, there's something missing. Then, suddenly, the idea hits him and he knows. "Uncle Alex, you're a doctor too, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Can you help me write _Doctor April_?"

"Doctor April?"

"Yeah!" Noah replies, with an annoyed tone and a know-it-all attitude. "Don't you know _April_ is mommy's real name?"

Alex can't help but to laugh. This kid is surely too cute for words. "How old are you, Noah?"

"I am five. Almost six!" The boy says, opening one hand and showing Alex all his five tiny fingers, adding one more on the other hand. "Oh, do you wanna go to my birthday party?"

"Go where?" April's voice comes from behind Karev when she's finally ready to leave.

"Your kid's inviting me to his party!" Alex replies, watching as she rounds the nurse's station to meet her son.

"Oh really?"

"Mommy, did you know Uncle Alex thinks you're pretty!"

April looks at her friend, knitting her brows in surprise. "He does, huh?"

"Yep! He said it!"

"I- didn't… whatever."

"You ready to go?" April asks, turning to Noah, who brightly smiles back at her. Picking his drawing and jumping off the chair, he lets out a loud 'Yesss!'

"Say goodbye to Alex!"

"Bye Uncle Alex!" The little boy says, running to the exit and waving with his free hand, without even turning around to look at him.

"Smart kid you got there." Alex retorts, placing both hands inside his lab coat pockets.

Picking up her son's backpack from the floor, she grins, ready to go home. "Yeah, I know. He takes after his mom!"

..

 _Requested by anon_


	6. Hannah & Noah's blueberry muffins

_**Family Tree**_ _ **: Hannah and Noah talking about love with grandma Catherine**_

"You're forgetting the blueberries." Noah impatiently says from the top of his chair to his sister.

"No, I'm not!"

"Yeah, you are! It says right here." The five year old goes on, looking down at the recipe book placed on the kitchen counter top and resting both hands on the pretty picture of freshly made blueberry muffins.

"You can't even read, Noah!" Hannah replies, knitting her brows in annoyance, proud of her reading skills. Glancing over at her brother, then back again at the flour and milk mixture on the bowl, she wonders if he's right, though. They're making muffins at Noah's request with Catherine's help. The kitchen, filled with all sort of ingredients, looks like a mess, but it's alright. Grandma is not a bit worried about it. They can clean it later. "Do I add them now, grandma?"

Catherine looks over at her grandchild, touching her soft curls with a clean hand, nodding. "Yes, baby, you do."

"Are these daddy's favorite?"

Turning her attention to Noah as Hannah takes a handful of blueberries to fold in with the mix, she sees his sparkly blue eyes shining. He's a perfect copy of his dad when Jackson was little, and he even proudly shares his tastes too. "When he was a kid, he asked me to make them almost every week."

"Did you do it?"

"Well, no, but I tried." Catherine replies. Her efforts didn't pay off in the kitchen, and her time was always short. "You see, grandma is not the best baker."

"I am!" Hannah says, exuberantly showing her very unique smile. "Mama and I bake together."

"Yeah, your mom is a great cook, isn't she?"

"She is! And she bakes too!"

"I miss mommy." Noah says, in a sad, empty tone. Playing with the pages of the recipe book, he tilts his head to the side, biting his lip. It's the first time Jackson and April left for a small vacation leaving their children at grandmother's care. Hannah, being her sassy eight year old self, seemed to be taking the distance well. Noah, on the other hand, was having a hard time, which was only normal, considering the sudden transition. "When are they coming back?"

"Soon, sweetheart."

Hannah pauses, looks at her brother and, with the most confident tone in the world, she simply says. "Don't you know they're making love?"

"Making what?" Catherine suddenly stops, knitting her brows in surprise with the young girl's expression. "Hannah, where did learn that?"

"On TV." She retorts, not even paying too much attention. "Grown ups make love when they're married. That's why they went away for a while. To make love."

Noah mumbles the words to himself, as if it was the first time he was hearing them. Then, shutting down the recipe book, he furrows his brows and leans forward. "What's _making love_ , grandma?"

"It's what mommies and daddies do when they love each other." Catherine starts, trying to sound as natural as possible. Being practical was in her nature, and a straight answer was always the best answer. Since she didn't lie to Jackson when he asked her the same question a long time ago, she definitely wasn't going to lie to her grandchildren. "They…"

"Duh! Making love is when you kiss all the time." Hannah suddenly cuts her off, grabbing her brother's attention. With her chin up and her chest out, she speaks like she knows all the answers, like she knows exactly what she's talking about. "Mom and dad kiss all the time. Even when daddy's all sweaty and smelly."

"They look gross when they kiss, though." Noah retorts, crinkling his nose, turning away and shutting his eyes with a disgusted look.

"They kiss because they love each other. Because they're in love." Catherine tries to explain.

"Mommy and daddy say _I love you_ to each other a lot." Noah continues.

"They do. Almost every day." Hannah agrees, nodding. Placing both arms behind her back, she looks over at Catherine, searching for assurance, and support. "You shouldn't really say it unless you mean it, right? But if you mean it, you say it a lot, like mom and dad do."

"Sometimes when they're watching TV, daddy starts massaging mommy's feet and she says she loves him for it." Noah says, interrupting his sister. He's very good when it comes to catching these small details of their little routine. It's cute, and harmless, and he usually catches them when he's playing on the floor with his toys, by the couch. "I think it's silly."

"It's love, Noah! You massage people's feet when you love them." Hannah finishes, narrowing her eyes to the boy and giving him a long stare. Then, pausing, looking down, she takes a second to think, before turning her rosy cheeks back up and eyeing Catherine from the corner of her eyes. "Grandma, I think love is silly." She starts, with her usual sweet tone. "But… I would still like to try it sometime."

Catherine smiles, placing one tender kiss on the top of her curly hair. As smart and beautiful as she is, she's going to find love someday, when she's older. Catherine can only pray the man who steals her heart is just as honest, kind and loyal as she raised her own son to be.

..

 _Requested by_ _ilmiooceanomare_ _(here's the light one shot with Nana Catherine you asked for. Hope you liked it!)_


	7. Hannah is coming

_**April finding out she's pregnant with Hannah and Jackson reassuring her they will be okay.**_ __

"April?"

She almost jumps with the sound of his voice. Looking down at the sealed envelope she's holding in her hands, she licks her dry lips, takes a deep breath and finally looks up to him.

They've been sitting on this chapel pew for the past five minute. In silence, side by side, trying to come up with the courage to finally open that envelope, he can feel her mind working, thinking about every possible scenario and worrying.

The signs were undeniable and the only thing left to do was take a blood test. Waiting for it all day almost killed him, almost killed them both. And when she texted him to meet her at the chapel at the end of the day, he stopped everything he was doing and rushed to be by her side.

She can't seem to open the envelope, though. A rational fear took over her whole entire body and his wife can't move, can't even make a sound. He can hear her irregular breathing, the way her heart is beating incessantly on her chest.

The chapel is empty, quiet, and silent. The last time Jackson was here was a long time ago. Praying to a God he didn't believe in was his last resource, but it seemed to work. She got the help she needed that day and He appeared to be hearing Jackson's prayer. The circumstances are different now, and yet he's more scared than ever.

"What if I'm not pregnant?"

Jackson can hear the fear in her voice; the fear of losing someone important again, even if she's not entirely sure the person is really there.

She shared the news with him last night, almost in tears, when she couldn't hide it any longer. Astonished, he simply held her, trying to come up with a way to hold on to his feelings without crumbling down in doubts and fears too.

He knows she's been having the suspicion for a couple of weeks now, but kept it. It was a secret from and to herself, a feeling that touched her heart and a dream that worried her, but completed her in some way.

He also knows that if she's not pregnant, it will be just like having to go through another loss. She already has illogical strings with this idea, with this baby. Surely this wasn't planned and she definitely didn't asked to be a mother again this soon. Neither one of them did. The scars of losing their child are still healing, still too painful somehow. But now, facing the fact that she could indeed be pregnant, the excitement of the thought alone brings them the same hope it once did.

"And what if I'm pregnant?" April goes on, looking down at the white envelope once more. Sure, she has a thick skin, but she doesn't know how much more she can take. If heartbreak strikes again, she might never recover from it. The fact was, she didn't how bad she wanted it until it happened. She wanted this baby, she wanted this family, she wanted this feeling, but there are so many red flags and, like a knife threatening to stab her yet again, she simply can't let her guard down. "What if it happens- what if it happens this time too?" Her voice seems to crack as she raises the back of her hand up to her nose, to keep the tears from coming back.

"What happened with Samuel was-" He starts, but quickly pauses, feeling his own voice crack with all these overwhelming emotions. Moving on the pew to face her and bring himself closer, he takes a deep breath and places one hand on her wrist. "It's not genetic. It was…" It was what it had to be and it happened as it was supposed to happen. Their little boy was the chosen one amongst a few others, and no one could control that. Accepting it was hard, but time heals every wound and he's almost healed now. "Just because it happened once, it doesn't mean it will happen a second time."

"But what if it does?" The fear of losing a second child haunts her at night, and she doesn't know if she's brave enough to go through with it without worrying every minute of every day.

"I don't know. I don't… know." Jackson retorts, slowly reaching for her hand. Maybe if she feels him, she won't be too scared. Yet, she looks absolutely terrified right now and he can't let those scary thoughts consume her. Not again, at least. "I can't make you promises about the baby or… you know-" With every loss comes tears and sorrow. An uncountable suffering words can never begin to describe. But in the end, love conquers all. And, just like he did before, he will be there for her, hoping she stays there for him too. "All I can say, is that no matter what happens, I've got you. And you've got me and together… we can do this."

She gives him a weak smile, looking at him with her sad eyes, holding all the tears threatening to run down her rosy cheeks. Then, nodding, she takes a deep breath. Feeling his love and commitment, April knows that at least she's ready now.

Putting the envelope down on her lap, she cups the side of his face. Pausing to take one last glance, she thanks God for the man that he is, for the kind words, for the patience, for the love. Because he is the love of her love and soon to be the father of her child.

Kissing his lips, she doesn't even need to open the envelope anymore. Against her better judgment, she simply knows it. _She's pregnant again._

..

 _Requested by_ _viscaacsiv_


	8. Hannah's name

_**Family Tree**_ _ **:**_ _ **Jackson and April discussing the name of their baby girl.**_

"Martha?" April asks. In the dark, she looks at her husband, lying next to her on the bed.

He lifts his head slightly off the pillow, just enough to shake it and frown. "Is our child an eighty year old woman?"

Naming a baby can be fun, but so, so very agonizing. It's a choice you have to make and not settle for anything else than perfect. Your child is going to live with that name for the rest of its life. It's an important decision and it surely can be overwhelming.

Unlike the last pregnancy, they've decided to know everything they possibly could about their baby this time. She is fine, growing strong and healthy. Yes, it's a _she_. They're having a girl.

It's now 11.23 pm on this cold November night, and she knows he's tired, probably wants to go to sleep already. They have another couple months to go and decide, but she can't stop thinking about it.

Turning to the side with her big baby bump, she faces him. "Priscilla?" His eyes shot open, and she knows he hates it. "Never mind."

The biblical theme seems to go on in her mind. Plus, the name has to have a strong, deep meaning. It's important it does and they both have to love it too.

Jackson's bad at this game, though, and she's not even taking into consideration his options. The first time around, she let Norbert slip, but honestly… no one in this day and age names their baby Norbert. Jackson Avery wasn't meant to choose baby names at all.

Resting one hand on her belly, she closes her eyes trying to picture their little girl. Is she going to take after him or her? Have red hair or his dark curls? Have her dimples or his freckles? Either way, she's going to be beautiful. More than that, all April wants is for her to be healthy, intelligent, and strong. Yet, she knows her baby is going to grow and become a resilient woman, a fearless girl.

A smile appears on her face, then. "How about Hannah?"

Hannah is one of her favorite women in the bible. Childless, she prayed to God and hoped for a son. Against all odds, a miracle happened and she became pregnant. After the promise she made, when the baby came, Hannah dedicated him to God. Ironically enough, that baby was named Samuel.

"It means _grace_." April goes on, opening her eyes and catching his own dreamy ones staring back at her. "I really like it."

He smiles, saying the name out loud for the first, feeling every little letter and loving it. "Hannah."

Just like that, it was decided. Hannah is coming this winter, blooming just like a rare and lovely winter rose.

..

 _Requested by anon_


	9. Noah's interruption

_Noah walking in on Jackson and April having sex._

Hawaii was their destination. It's the perfect honeymoon they never got, but with children now. It's alright, though. They're enjoying it, and the memories they didn't get in the first place but are getting now are priceless.

They put the kids to bed a couple of hours ago and they luckily fell asleep without much struggle. Vacation has its perks when you spend all day at the beach, or by the pool, and it's hot as hell. It tires the kids and leaves the parents all alone for a few hours.

The windows are open, and the soft ocean breeze enters the sweaty room like a breath of fresh air. It's hot, though. Very hot!

She's bending over, crouching in all fours, hands and knees pressed to the mattress, her torso is nearly horizontal and her legs are slightly apart. Jackson stands behind her, holding her firmly by the waist, pleased with the way she moans every time he trusts into her.

"Jacks… Oh!"

Her hair falls back and she tilts her head in satisfaction when he reaches for her wet center, massaging her soft spot with a free hand.

Jackson tries to keep his eyes open, but he's quickly succumbing to the pleasure that it is being inside of her. This is not her favorite position, it's less intimate, less romantic, but why not spice things up in the bedroom sometimes?! Plus, they must enjoy it while they can. At home it's impossible being this free, having sex on top of the covers, with the warm weather making everything way more exciting.

"Faster… faster…" She begs and he applies more pleasure, swiftly speeding up his rhythm. He can feel his wife breaking down below him, reaching an incomparable high. Closing his eyes, but never stopping working on her with his hand, he tilts his own head back, bites his lower lip and moans her name. They rented a small bungalow in a fancy resort, but they have to keep it quiet. The kids are sleeping together in the room next door.

"Oh! Shit!"

He grins, opening his eyes to watch his wife struggle in keeping her arms up, holding herself together. She never curses and when she does, it can only means she's truly reaching her peak, delighting in the waves of a strong orgasm.

"Yeah, babe… yeah." He gulps, moving his hand back to the side of her waist to keep the balance and hold her still.

"Daddy?" Noah voice interrupts bursts through the walls of their room. With one hand on the door knuckle, he steps inside knocking, only to stop and stare and his parents standing in this weird position.

"Oh my gosh!" April exclaims, crashing into the mattress, and trying to hide her body from her son's sight. It's dark, but not that dark, and he will probably tell they're naked.

"Noah! Hey, buddy."

"What are you doing?" The three year old asks, standing by the door in his blue pajama shorts and thin t-shirt, with a confused stare.

Jackson freezes, still inside of her, glancing down at his wife and tries to come up with an excuse. "Daddy is scratching mommy's back." It's a lame excuse, but he hopes Noah buys it. How do you explain a three year old what sex is?

Noah tilts his head to the side, drops his hands, leaving the door, and takes a dangerous step closer. "But where are your jammies?"

Jackson can feel April starting to panic. They usually lock the door at home when they're having sex, but with the urge and the heat of the moment, they completely forgot. So, getting caught in the act by either one of their children is a brand new experience. One he's sure she doesn't want to repeat.

"Hmm… Do you need anything, buddy?"

"I'm thirsty."

"Okay, well… why don't you go back to your room and wait?" Jackson goes on. Looking at his son over his shoulder, standing butt naked on the bed, he silently prays Noah doesn't ask more questions. "Dad will be there in a minute, okay?" Talk about timing! In _a_ _minute_ he'd be having an orgasm by now! "Just close the door and wait for me. Okay?"

"Yeah…" The boy timidly turns on his feet, confused, shutting the door behind him.

Jackson, with his hands still on April's waist, looks down at her, and lets out a deep breath. It was embarrassing, but Noah didn't seem to fully understand what was going on, and April looks more terrified than he was. "Don't worry, he won't be scarred for life."

"I will!" She remarks, facing her husband with her bright red cheeks burning like fire, finally breathing.

"I'm gonna get him some water. If you want, we can finish this later." He smiles, coming out from behind her and leaning over to whisper on her ear. "With the door locked!" Then, tapping her butt cheek playfully, he grins, before crawling out of bed and grabbing his boxers on the way to the bathroom.

..

 _Requested by anon_


	10. Hannah's first surgery

_**Family Tree:**_ _ **Noah and Hannah spending time with their cousins**_

"No! That's not how you do it!"

"I saw my mommy doing it. I know how to do it." Hannah replies, placing both knees on the Kepner's wooden porch and sitting down on them.

"Are you sure he's going to be okay?"

She waits, looks at her youngest cousin and, with a confident nods, Hannah goes on. "I think so."

"He seems fine to me!"

"Shut up, Marissa. He isn't!" Noah retorts, turning to his older cousin, with his big blue eyes and a frown. "He's sick, can't you see?"

Marissa, their seven year old cousin approaches them, glancing with an annoyed stare back at Noah. Then, delicately touching her white flowered skirt, she looks over at the rest of the children, holding her straight and shiny red hair to keep it from falling on her face. "What happened to him?"

"Noah kicked him."

"Hey! I didn't do it on purpose." Noah quickly defends himself up against his sister. Sure, he tripped on the cat when he was playing hide and seek with his sister and cousins at grandpa's. It's summertime and they just got here. Coming to Moline is the best time in the world. They can hang in the farm with all the animals and freedom to run and play.

"We need to open him up?"

Hannah places one hand on the stripped orange cat, feeling his stomach. Then, she looks up at Jacob, her youngest cousin, and with the most serious glance, she finally makes the decision. "Yes. But we got to put him to sleep first."

"Are you sure you know how auntie April does it?" Marissa asks.

"I know!" Hannah simply nods her little head, making her brown curls bounce with the movement. She didn't exactly see mom doing a surgery, but they talked about it not too long ago. She also loves to play doctor and being around the hospital and her parent's friends helps too. Plus she knows the basics, and her imagination will do the rest. "We need gloves, and a scalpel and…"

"Then we can open him up and fix him inside!" Noah exclaims, throwing a fist into the air and standing up, way too excited to cut the poor cat in half.

"Open what up now?" April's voice comes from behind them. She looks at her son, crossing her arms and wondering what the fuss is all about.

"The cat."

"We're doing surgery on the cat, mommy." Noah replies, pointing out to the poor little thing wrapped in her daughter's hands.

"What? Why?"

"Hannah's doing it." Noah goes on, enthusiastically. "She's the doctor, just like you."

April smiles, trying not to laugh or show a worried face either. This is serious and they could've killed the animal if she didn't show up just in time. "And what makes you think the cat needs surgery, missy?" She asks, turning to her daughter.

"Noah kicked him and he's hurt." Hannah explains, completely convinced this the best thing they could do to help the animal. "We're gonna fix him up just like you do to people."

"I don't think that's such a good idea, honey."

"Why not?"

Because Hannah's imagination is fertile, but very dangerous sometimes. But before she can reply, she little girl stands up, holding the cat and walks over at her mother.

"I wanna be just like you, mama. And he's hurt. Look."

April stares down at the cat, who seems obviously fine. Shaking her head and laughing, she takes it from Hannah's arms and gives in to the children's fantasy. Play pretend can be fun if they don't end up killing the animal after all. "Alright, but first we need to check him up to see if he's got wounds." She says, kneeling down next to her son. No, she isn't going to open the cat, but she can definitely entertain them. "The first thing we do when we get a patient is…"

"The ABCs?"

She looks at Hannah, surprised. Proud of her own child, April smiles, amazed with the way Hannah observes and learns things, remembering their conversation the other day. "Yes, honey… the ABCs." She goes on, with all four attentive children watching her carefully as she starts taking care of the cat. "We need to keep the patient alive, or the cat in this case, so…"

..

 _Requested by_ _everythingkepner_


	11. Hannah is home

_**Jackson and April bringing Hannah home from the hospital after she was born.**_

"Do you think she's cold?" He asks, carefully placing one hand on the yellow blanket covering the baby girl in his arms.

"She seems fine." April replies, sitting on the couch with a clean pair of warm pajamas. After spending 48 hours at the hospital and 12 very uncomfortable hours in labor, she's finally home.

"She looks comfortable, doesn't she?"

"She loves being in your arms, it seems." Hannah was born at exactly 01h31 AM on December 26th. She wasn't set to be born that day, but she couldn't wait to be here. Luckily it all worked out just fine and now she's home too, in her father's arms, enjoying the closeness. From the moment the doctor put her in Jackson's arms, April could see it in his eyes it was love at first sight. "Hannah can't get enough of daddy."

"I can't take my eyes off of her." He confesses, slowly adjusting the cute little beanie on her head. Hannah was beautiful, with her tiny nose and big grey eyes; with her little hands and small fingers; with her heart shaped mouth and rosy cheeks. She was perfect and Jackson simply couldn't stop staring at the little being he helped create. "Look how peaceful she is."

"You're great with her."

"I'm just grateful we got to bring her home." He says, glancing at his wife with a loving smile. After everything that happened the first time around, he couldn't be more thankful that April's pregnancy went well, and that Hannah was a small but healthy baby. Having her in his arms, peacefully sleeping and breathing like an angel, was not only the best feeling in the world, but the greatest present anyone could give him. "Fun Christmas this year, huh?"

"It was." April replies, sitting with her legs under her body, settling next to him and yawning. Her contractions started previously to the night Hannah was born. They were having a small Christmas celebration lunch and she was supposed to be cooking when it all came downhill. Christmas at the hospital isn't quite as fun. Especially when you're trying to deliver a healthy baby, with a worried husband by your side, squeezing your hand almost harder than you whenever there's a sign a contraction was coming. "I'm so tired, though."

"We have two hours before you have to feed her again. Maybe you should sleep."

"Maybe I should."

He nods, smiling, before opening one arm to his wife and pulling her in. "Come here." Jackson says, letting her set her head on his shoulder. As April starts closing her eyes, he lets out a deep, but happy breath. They say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Well, for him it hasn't always felt that way. Life is tough sometimes, it's cruel. You go through hell and back and you lose all hope until you find your heaven again. And when the storms goes away and the sun shines again, that _heaven_ is really heaven. Holding his two girls, his two loves in his arms, Jackson finds himself finally in peace. And right now, life is nothing else but perfect.

..

 _Requested by_ _obsessivecompulsivee_


	12. Hannah's first boyfriend

_**Family Tree - Hannah has a "boyfriend" and Jackson gets overprotective.**_

"So, mama and I are going out for dinner…" Jackson tells them from across the kitchen, watching as two his kids eat their breakfast.

It's Valentine's Day. The absolute worst day of the year in Jackson's opinion. The gifts, the heart shaped balloons, the red roses, the cheesiness of it all sickness him. But April asked for one night out just the two of them, having dinner at a nice restaurant downtown, and he couldn't say no. Despite hating the day in itself, he sure loves having the house to himself and his wife. The kids will be staying with grandma tonight. An unusual sleepover perfectly planned and Catherine Avery loved the idea, since she hates Valentine's Day just as much as her son. Staying with the kids was the perfect excuse to avoid going out with Richard and going through the embarrassment of celebrating it in some old fashion way.

"Is mama your valentine?" Noah asks, with his mouth full.

"Yeah, I guess so." Jackson replies, reaching for the freshly made cup of coffee April made before she left. It was his turn to take the kids to school this morning and she had to rush in to the hospital earlier. "Do you have a valentine, Noah?"

"Me? No! But Hannah does."

"She has?"

The seven year old nods, with the big spoon in his mouth as his sister gives him a deadly stare. "She does. Hannah has a boyfriend."

"Shut up, Noah!"

"She has a boyfriend and she loooves him." The little boy teases her, taking the spoon our of his mouth and crossing his eyes to her.

"You have a boyfriend?" Jackson asks, surprised. No! Shocked. His nine year old has a boyfriend and he's only hearing about it now. Putting the mug down, he takes a step, leaning in front of the kitchen counter top, directly looking at his daughter. "Hannah, why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?"

"I saw them holding hands in the playground." Noah continues. They go to the same preppy private school, since education comes first in the Avery household and April was completely against boarding school. Putting the spoon down and swinging his legs back and forth on the chair, Noah leans forward, blowing kisses in the air, playfully teasing her. "I bet they wanna kiss too!"

"Noah!" Hannah snaps, throwing him a hard push.

"Hey, don't hit your brother." Jackson says, pointing a finger at her. Shaking his head, he's suddenly panicking. Hannah is still his baby girl. She's definitely not old enough to have a boyfriend. "Who is this kid?"

"He just moved here from California. He's new in class."

"California, huh?"

"He likes to surf, and he has a skateboard too." Hannah drops one elbow on the table with her head on her hand. Then, looking down at the cereal bowl, playing with her spoon, she speaks in a dreamy tone. "His name is Skyler."

"Skyler?" Jackson asks, narrowing his eyes to his daughter, not able to stop shaking his head in complete denial. "Isn't Skyler a girl's name?"

"He's blonde, daddy!"

"He's blonde? A blonde kid named Skyler?" He raises a brow when Noah speaks, confused. That's unfairly original. Sure, parents can name their children whatever they want, and Skyler isn't the worse thing he's seen. It's a popular name even for boys. But something doesn't feel right. The kid is blonde, probably tanned, with a surfer style and skater boy attitude? "Wait, how old is he?"

"He's ten."

"Oh, so he's older?"

"It's not like he's older _old_."

Hannah is nine, and Skyler is probably only older for a few months. Still, he doesn't the idea at all. "I don't like this kid!"

"But he's so cool. Oh and he's so handsome too, daddy." Hannah goes on, moving her big, expressive eyes back to her father. "And he told me I was pretty."

"Oh he did, huh?"

"He said my hair was pretty and it smelled good. The other day he gave me a flower." She goes on, smiling proudly. "Karina liked him too. She wanted him, but he liked me better!"

"Did mommy know about this?"

"She did, but she said you'd freak out so…"

In pure and utter surprise, he gulps, not able to hide his shocked expression. Was he the last one to know about this? Hannah, his baby girl, has a boyfriend and his wife kept that from him. Then, it hits him. Jackson shared his first kiss with a little girl his age when he was ten. Skyler was ten, and the memory reminded him that the worst could've already happened. "Did you kiss him?"

"No!" Hannah shyly shakes her head, placing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Good, don't let him kiss you. Ever!" He goes on, with a serious tone and an even more serious stare. "And don't kiss him. Kissing is…"

"Gross!" Noah suddenly shouts, helping his father find the right word.

"Yes, exactly, Noah. Kissing is gross." She's nine. She's too young to be kissing or to even know what that is. It's an undeniable fact that his daughter will do all the things he wishes she wouldn't one day. But for now, he'll still do anything in his power to let her be a child, a little girl, and nothing more than that. "Don't you ever do it, deal?"

"Fine!" Hannah rolls her eyes, jumping from her chair. "I'm gonna get dressed now."

When she leaves, Jackson moves across the kitchen, grabbing his coffee mug and taking a quick sip. Then, sitting on the vacant chair next to his son, he clears his throat, before speaking. "Hey, buddy! Remember when mama told you to be a soldier like her?" April told Noah she was a soldier one night when he was suddenly afraid of the imaginary monster in the closet, and he agreed to be brave and fight his fear like a soldier.

Noah doesn't even look up from the big bowl of colorful cereal in front of me. Instead, he simply nods. "Yeah."

"Do you wanna be a soldier?" Jackson goes on, almost whispering, making Noah a little bit more curious. "A soldier spy?"

"Yes."

"Great! Can you spy on your sister and her _boyfriend_ on the playground?"

Noah finally looks up, taking his time to chew the cereal in his mouth. Then, sitting straight on the chair, he turns to his father, crossing his arms. "What's in for me? Soldier spies need to get paid too!"

"Really?" It's surprising how witty a seven year old can be. Noah Avery, the little entrepreneur always looking for an easy way to make business. "Okay fine! I'll take you out to ice cream this week and that's it-"

"Every day of the week after school." Noah retorts, lifting his little hand up to his father to cut him off.

"No, mom would kill us both." Jackson says, knowing April probably would. Noah, on the other hand, seems determined and ready to put up a fight. "Fine, twice?"

"Deal!"

"Good! Be sneaky, spy on them and then report everything you see to me, okay?" Jackson tells the little boy, who nods, narrowing his eyes and already coming up with a plan in his mind. "And if Skyler tries to kiss her, you kick him."

"On his nuts?"

"No, Noah! Not on his nuts." Jackson quickly says. A kick there would be too much, too painful even for a kid. "On his ankles. That will due."

"But if I kick him Hannah will come after me."

"Run from her if you have to. And be brave. You're a soldier." He says, placing his hands on his son's shoulders, and nodding with assurance. "You'd do anything to protect your big sister, wouldn't you?"

"Yes!"

"Good. Now let's shake on it!"

This was Hannah's first boyfriend, but surely not her last. He knew his daughter was a smart little girl, but even if she got her heart broken, he'd be there for her. And well… her brother would too, armed with his best pair of _Jordan's_ , ready to kick any bad indented boys.

..

 _Requested by_ _katewillsandezria_ _and_ _iamthawingiwasperfect_


	13. Noah is coming

_**April tells Jackson she's pregnant with Noah by using a "World's Greatest Dad" T-Shirt.**_ __

"Happy birthday!" She says, crawling on top of the covers to meet him on the bed.

Jackson smiles, noticing the way she seems to be hiding something with one hand behind her back. "Thank you for dinner. It was nice just the three of us." It was a small dinner party, nothing fancy, with his baby girl Hannah and his wife. A time to reflect and appreciate his family even more.

April settles on his lap, placing her legs on each sides of his body, and her free hand on the crook of his neck. Slowly playing her thumb across his jawline, she feels the roughness of his unshaved scruff. Then, she leans forward, taking her finger and placing one tender kiss on its place. "Guess I didn't give you my present yet."

"Oh really?" He grins, moving his hands up her thighs. It's his birthday and he can only ask to get _lucky_ tonight.

"Yes." April replies, pausing before taking a long breath. Staring into his deep eyes, she can't help but to smile.

She's happy, he can see she's finally happy and he thanks God for that, wondering why. "What's my present, then?"

April licks her lips, takes another deep breath and shows him what she's been hiding behind her back. It's a small package, wrapped in a shiny silver wrapping paper with a big yellow bow on it. Jackson looks down, raising one brow, actually surprised. He already has everything he needs, so a present is definitely unnecessary. He has a healthy, smart daughter, an amazing wife, a strong marriage, the job that he loves… What else does one man need?

Nevertheless, he takes the package, rips it off the paper like a curious child unwrapping a present. Then, putting it to the side, he unfolds a grey t-shirt that reads _World's Greatest Dad_ on the front in big black letters. "Is this from Hannah?" He asks, tilting his head to right and looking again at his wife. She simply smiles, giving him time to read the sweet message again.

"You're a great dad to Hannah. She loves you." April retorts, feeling slightly emotional saying those words. He was a great dad from the very start, but has been proving every day he was simply born to be a father. When she sees him with Hannah, she knows he is meant to be a dad. "You're amazing, Jackson. You're the best dad anyone could ask for and I'm so proud of you but…" She pauses, shaking her head and slowly reaching out for his hand. "But no. It's not from Hannah."

"April?" He questions, giving him a curious look as she places his hand on her stomach. A big smile appears on her face, when his eyes sparkle and he finally understands what she means. Resting one hand on her cheek, Jackson pulls her closer for a kiss.

This is what she wanted back then, to tell her husband she was pregnant with a t-shirt that said World's Greatest Dad. The first time around she wasn't pregnant at all. The first time she was pregnant indeed, they were fighting. The second, they were both just scared after everything that happened with Samuel.

She was pregnant again, for the third time. It was a time of joy. They were happy, settled, life was good. And maybe, just maybe it's true what they say: Third time's a charm.

..

 _Requested by_ _iamthawingiwasperfect_


	14. April & Jackson's boy

_**Jackson and April find out that Noah is going to be a boy.**_

"Do you really want to know?"

"I do. Of course, I do!" April replies, watching her husband approaches the bed where she's lying. "I wanted to find out with you. So..." So when he couldn't meet her for the ultrasound consultation earlier that day due to an unexpectedly long surgery, she asked the doctor to write down the baby's gender.

"Are you ready?" Jackson asks, sitting on top of the covers next to his wife on the bed. She nods, while holding a folded white piece of paper in her hands. He can tell she's nervous, though. Finding out Hannah's sex was a priority back then. Since what happened during her first pregnancy and with Samuel, they decided to find out everything they possibly could about the baby. They decided to do the same thing with this pregnancy just for precaution. "April?"

"It's okay. I'm okay." She hesitates, before sitting straight on the bed and handing him the thin piece of paper. "Let's do this."

"Yeah?" He asks again, sensing her anxiety before placing a gentle kiss on her temple and one hand on her growing baby bump.

She can feel his grin as he gently traces a pattern along her stomach, trying to calm her down while also controlling his excitement. There's a new life growing inside of her. A new life they made together, and she couldn't be happier. But the ghosts of the past still haunt her and it's never easy to deal with the pain, even after all that time. "What do you think it is?"

He looks at her, raising one brow, thinking for a second. "I don't know. As long as it's healthy, I'm happy with whatever we get." Jackson replies. "Hannah, on the other hand, wants a baby brother."

"She does!" She chuckles. Hannah is two and a little opinionated princess. "So, we're ready to find out?"

"Together?"

"Together." April retorts, watching as her husband sits straight on the bed too. He looks at her again, smiling, before taking a deep breath. She closes her eyes, praying silently for a second that seems to last a long minute that whatever it is, it is a healthy baby. That's all she wants… a healthy baby.

He finally unfolds the page, moves his eyes to read the handwritten word that lays on the thin sheet. " _Boy_." Jackson says, re-reading it again just to be sure.

"We're having a boy."

Jackson hears her say it too, say it out loud with a slight enthusiasm on her tone. The last time he heard her pronounce those words, it was the night she fell into his arms, sobbing, afraid to lose their baby boy. It was a long time ago, but scars like that are never completely healed and even though their circumstances are different now, the fresh memories are still there and will always be.

"Jackson? Are you okay?" It's only then that he takes his eyes off the paper, moving them back to his wife. She shakes her head, confused, because she thought he'd be happy. In his eyes, though, she sees his doubts and his fears, and she understands them. "Are you thinking about _him_?"

"How could I not?" Jackson retorts, lowering his eyes to her baby bump and putting the paper to the side.

"I know." Placing one hand on his cheek, she smiles, because despite the uncertainty of the future, she knows the best is yet to come and with this baby, their family is complete. "But I'm happy right now."

He smiles back, finding hope in her hopes and peace in her words. Fact is, he's never been this happy in his life, and it's all because of her. She makes him happy. And even though he wasn't able to protect Samuel, he's ready now, he's prepared for whatever battle life decides to throw at them, and he knows they will be fine.

Finding a position on the bed, Jackson slowly moves on the mattress, lying down on his stomach. Then, placing both hands on her loving bump, he gently pushes her pajama top up, exposing her pale skin. "I love you, buddy!" Jackson mumbles, before licking his lips and resting them against her stomach. "Daddy loves you."

April rests her hands on the back of his head, nestling herself deeper into his arms. With her eyes closed, she lets out a deep breath, feeling the warmth of his kiss against her skin, completely content and excited about the future.

They're having a _boy_.

..

 _Requested by_ _make-a-memory-drink-it-up_


	15. Jackson's book

_**Jackson is in bed reading a book and a pregnant April climbs into bed. Without looking, Jackson raises his arm so that she can crawl under and snuggle.**_

9.30 PM. They go to bed early now, because she's exhausted and he likes to keep her company.

He's reading a book he found on her nightstand a couple weeks ago. _You and Your Bump_. It's silly, but he doesn't mind. Sure, he doesn't have a baby bump. And no, the baby isn't even growing inside of him. But he likes to be informed, to know everything and be aware of the changes in his wife's body. And now that April is entering her third trimester, he's reading the _Preparing for Labor_ chapter countless times, reassuring himself about the process they'll be experiencing soon, both mentally, medically and physically.

He's been reading a lot these days. Not just some random book or medical magazines like he used to. He reads baby books of every author and of every kind. And now he knows all about breathing, the best yoga positions, the best recipes for a healthy mama and baby, and even about breast feeding and pregnancy recovery. April's pregnancy has been an emotional roller-coaster for the both of them and he thinks that being prepared now will help with whatever life throws at them. But April's fine, their baby girl is strong and healthy, growing peacefully and life is good right now.

But despite what happened previously, raising a baby is definitely something new and even though he is ready this time, he's as clueless as before. So, every night, he lies in bed, waiting for her as she gets ready in the bathroom, to read a few more pages. He loves it, though. He loves reading about the baby's growth, its development and the changes ahead. He loves to be informed, even if it turns him into one of those dads, constantly looking after the baby, worried about it. But he's set on being Super Dad, encouraging and comforting his wife throughout every stage of her pregnancy and beyond.

April turns the bathroom light off, and he hears her footsteps on the bedroom hardwood floors. He doesn't move his eyes from the book, though, but he can feel her grin when she sees him reading again.

Climbing in bed, she pulls down the covers, adjusting her bigger frame to the space next to him. He mindlessly opens his arm to her, letting her rest her head on his chest as he keeps the book open, right above his eyes. In silence, she places on hand on his stomach, and closes her own eyes. It's something so easy, so natural and she fits in with him so well. He keeps one hand open across her shoulder, slowly moving his fingers to caress the fabric of her pajama top, and she snuggles into him, comfortably.

"Goodnight." She says, falling fast asleep, never minding the dim light on his nightstand still being on.

"Goodnight, babe." Jackson smiles, placing one kiss on the top of her head, loving these sweet little moments before going to sleep that make him feel complete.


End file.
